National Republican., 1887-01-21
A CONFIDENTIAL. LETTER
About a Presidential Nominee-severa
OF tho Presidents Purely Partisan
suspensions-senate Secrets Given

About q Presidential lNominee-Several
OF tho Presidents Purely Partisan
suspensions--senate Secrets Given
Out.
In the secret session OF the Senate yester-
day great many nominations were con-
flrmed, among them being that Of Postmas-
ter Riley, Of Cincinnati, which was made
the subject Of an extended investigation by
the postofllce committee last session.
In connection with the confirmation of
Samuel d. Leavitt to be collector OF customs
at Passamaquody, Me-, the Senate makes
public two documents. The first is a letter to
Senator Mcmillan, marked confidential,
dated Washington, Dec. Is, 1886. The
writer calls attention to the confirmation,
and states that having had occasion to ex-
anime the papers filed by applicants for the
office some months ago he found among
them certified copy OF the record OF the
United States district court at Portland,
Me-, showing that Leavitt had been con-
vlcted, somewhere between 1860 and 1862
OF the crime OF smuggling, and had been
sentenced to pay fine therefor The
writer thinks II hardly possible that the
President could have knowingly appointed
convicted smuggler to collect the revenues
at place which affords such opportunities
for smuggling, and suggests us possibility
that the paper may have been secretly alb
stracted from the files before tho other
documents were taken to the President.
He adds:
In case of the candidates. confirmation /
shall feel at liberty to make public all the facts
to know whether lie Senate does % really Ali scPnti %
nize the Presidents appointments when they
have o. good reason therefor which is moi not
founded upon partisan politics.
As i am in the government employ YOU will
see the necessity for my Withholding my name
CniiEr OF DIVISION
The other is an affidavit by Mr.. Leavitt
setting forth that in 1866. Mr.. Horton
left In his Office package for man, whose
name Leavitt does not remember, to call
and examine. The package, which was said
to contain pound Of morphine, was subse
quently taken away by Horton. This was
made the "pretended basis OF suit"
against Leavitt, which was, however, never
brought to trial, Leavitt paying costs and
marshals fees by advice of his counsel,
Hon. Bion Bradbury. lie was never even
accused Of any violation Of law.
An Endorsement by Mr.. Bradbury is to
the effect that the statements In the afIida-
Wits are In accordance with the facts, and
that the costs were paid to save the expense
Of litigation.
In relation to the nomination OF Frank P.
Motto to be postmaster at Odebolt Iowa, In
place OF T. X. Bennett, suspended, the
postofllce committee reports that nothing
appears in the papers injuriously rejecting
upon the personal or official character or
conduct OF the suspended officer, whose sus-
pension was undoubtedly Induced by polit-
ical considerations.
In relation to the nomination OF Samuel
s. Harvey to be postmaster at Centerville,
Iowa, vice Eugene c. Haynes, the post
Office committee says:
The suspended officer Is disabled soldier,
having lost an arm IN the service of the coun.
try. He was an efficient postmaster and gave
great satisfaction to the patrons of his Office.
There are no charges, and his suspension was
purely partisan, "and In violation of the law
pointments TO civil offices" But he informed
the committee that he did not desire to resist
the confirmation of his successor Hence the
nominee is favorably reported.